The University 

Achieving the global ambition of our university strategy depends on our people and we are proud of our highly talented and engaged Professional Services colleagues. Our culture is ambitious and high performing, but also supportive and inclusive. Career progression is encouraged, and you will have the opportunity to take responsibility for your own professional development and wellbeing. We actively support collaboration within and across disciplines and roles and our staff have high levels of engagement and pride in the University, our Strategy is to be in the top 50 of the world’s leading universities by 2030 supported by our six pillars as follows. 

1. Research that matters. 
2. Education for sustainable futures 
3. Engagement and Impact 
4. Civic and global 
5. People and culture 
6. Sustainability (and social responsibility)

Forward Thinking Finance 

Finance division plays a key role in supporting the university’s 2030 Strategy with our vision to become a valued partner delivering high quality and innovative service, our Mission is to provide advice and support to optimise the University’s financial and commercial interests, enabling the delivery of the University’s activities and its strategic aims our strategic themes are as follows. 

Roles at this level will be professional specialists with expertise, exercising within their functional area/section a degree of independent professional responsibility and discretion, including contributing to the development and implementation of policies and processes. You will contribute to setting quality and professional standards and managing service delivery against this. Your work is likely to have a medium to long term horizon and you will typically work with a variety of people from diverse teams and able to contribute to longer-term planning for your area, in line with the wider University strategy.

Department Overview 

As part of the Procurement and Insurance team the Insurance service arranges appropriate coverage to protect the University against such insurable risks as are deemed appropriate. As well as the Birmingham campus and other locations within the UK, the University is also developing a thriving campus in Dubai and the role will require management of the insurance programme for that location as well as various other overseas interests. 

Main Duties

1. To act as the key University advisor and principal specialist on all insurance related matters. The successful applicant will be responsible for regularly reviewing the quality and adequacy of policies ensuring at all times that appropriate coverage is in place to address the diverse range of risks to which the University is exposed, including but not restricted to: the overall Property portfolio, liability risks including Public Liability, Employers Liability and Professional Indemnity, Business Travel risks for students and staff, Motor fleet and Terrorism. Oversight of Clinical Trials coverage will also be required. 
2. To manage the relationship with the University’s cover providers, insurers, Loss Adjusters and Solicitors. To have ongoing technical dialogue with the incumbent cover providers ensuring that there is regular review of indemnity limits, sums insured and deductibles.
3. To liaise widely within the University ahead of annual renewals, reviewing limits and considering output from the University’s Asset Register. Negotiate renewals with incumbent cover providers/insurers and prepare financial budgets.
4. Manage the handling of claims across the portfolio and handling sub deductible claims in-house using the same methodology as cover providers/insurers (currently £25,000 for claims under the Property policy and £5,500 for Public Liability property damage claims).  
5. Process claims to completion from the insurer’s payment to University Payments Section and manage the uninsured loss fund in an efficient manner, making recommendations for the operation of the fund and providing management information when required. 
6. Liaise with Colleges and departments regarding adequate usage of the Asset Register, ensuring that sufficient data for insurance purposes is maintained. 
7. To offer expert advice on a broad range of issues including ad hoc coverage queries and indemnity wording in proposed contract clauses. To develop and propose solutions for anticipated issues and challenges and respond to emergencies that require immediate attention and resolution. 
8. To disseminate to university staff detailed and working knowledge of insurance cover and risk mitigation actions in a timely manner. To communicate effectively with staff and students ensuring an  appropriate level of understanding is achieved. This may be carried out via a range of methods, including presentations and training events both inside and outside the University. 
9. To regularly review policies and procedures, identifying, recommending, and implementing innovative ways of working to improve efficiency and effectiveness. 
10. To interact with and advise senior staff across the University in Finance, Legal Services, Campus Services, Human Resources and Student Services on key insurance matters. To provide advice and guidance to Colleges and Professional Services on insurance activity and provide coaching and support to staff and students where sensitive problems have occurred requiring insurance actions. 
11. To provide on-going support to the Dubai Campus Team on insurance provision covering overseas Health Insurance for students, staff, and Flying Faculty staff. To arrange adequate and appropriate general insurance provision for campus buildings, equipment, liabilities etc. To lead and support appropriate dialogue with Brokers and Insurers in country and support and ensure cover for other overseas ventures and exposures, including the Jinan campus in China. 
12. Promote awareness of Risk Management throughout the University liaising with key stakeholders as appropriate to always encourage and embed excellent Risk Management policies.
13. To anticipate, interpret and assess end user and wider University insurance needs linked to national and international trends or emerging issues and challenges that could directly impact upon the University operations. Such trends may include cyber-crime, terrorism, international security, new legislation etc. 
14. To respond to changing priorities operating with the minimum of supervisory control and to use own initiative, always providing a high and professional level of service. 
15. Liaise with relevant internal stakeholders regarding queries on Clinical Trials and offer additional support when requested.
16. Prepare the delivery of the quarterly claims review analysis, shared with key stakeholders and provide relevant and timely feedback and 'lessons learned' to support management forward planning and actions to reduce University risks. To contribute directly as key advisor on insurance and risk related matters to:

• The University Strategic Plan
• The Capital Investment Plan
• Dubai Overseas Campus Operations
• Legal Services Planning
• Finance Office Risk Management Plan
• Procurement and Insurance Department strategy

1. Deputise for the Director of Procurement and Insurance as and when required and form part of the Procurement and Insurance Management Team, to manage and motivate members of the team with a view to broaden our objectives. To also meet with other Education Institutions to exchange information by way of the Insurance Managers Group, information sharing with a view to continually improve strategies on an on-going basis. Ability to be adaptable and flexible in approach to work, including a commitment to work flexible hours.

Core competencies/transferable skills

Working at this level you will be able to develop and demonstrate the following core competencies/transferable skills and will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting their department and wider University. 

Planning and organising 

At this level, role holders will have the ability to:

• lead and manage a functional area, taking responsibility for staff and resources, tackling planning and operations over the medium to long term.
• shape strategic direction for own area, and make significant contributions to departmental strategic planning 
• set quality and professional standards for others.
• take accountability for the quality and delivery of a service or for the provision of expert professional advice. 
• take the initiative and manage large-scale changes.
• make decisions and judgements on conflicting data/information.
• lead and manage projects which are complex and significant in terms of time and financial resources.

Problem solving and decision making 

At this level role holders will have the ability to:

• evaluate service provision and implement innovative solutions to improve quality, efficiency, and continuity.
• ensure effective resolution of all issues in own area, often requiring complex problem solving through others. 
• identify trends which could have an impact on the area and identify and implement approaches to these. 
• deal effectively and sensitively with significant and substantial people management issues, such as major change programmes and lead staff through change whilst maintaining motivation.

Relationships and communication

At this level role holders will have the ability to:

• interact at senior levels within the University.
• network with fellow professionals in the wider community to stay up to date.
• promote own/department’s work at internal and external opportunities.
• inspire and motivate others (often large teams) through multiple intermediary managers. 
• provide expert advice and influence for internal/external meetings and facilitating different approaches.
• consult with service users/others to establish service requirements, standards and priorities for change. 

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience 

• Educated to Degree level (or equivalent level qualifications), higher degree where appropriate or substantial relevant managerial experience. 
• Qualified to, or studying for, CII qualifications, ideally ACII.
• Significant experience within the insurance market and an understanding of insurance programmes as they relate to the Higher Education sector.
• Ability to exercise a substantial degree of independent professional responsibility and discretion.
• Ability to lead and manage diverse groups of staff through intermediate managers
• Evidence of literacy and numeracy.
• Project Management, ideally in a PRINCE environment.
• Networking and influencing people.
• Working in a Team environment, in particular involving internal University members of staff and representatives of external organisations as part of a Project Team
• Use of Core systems and IT skills including MS Word, Excel and Project and computerised insurance and management information systems.
• Actively promotes equality and diversity to internal and external stakeholders.
• Able to use data to identify equality and diversity issues. 
• Experience of developing interventions to address equality and diversity issues.

Informal enquires to Jonathan Jones, email: j.jones.3@bham.ac.uk